Nothing is more attractive or eye-catching than a beautifully bright, white smile. But sustaining those pearly whites can become more of a challenge over time. Many food, drink and lifestyle choices can leave us with gray, yellow or dingy teeth, causing us to look older or less attractive. As one of the most requested dental procedures, teeth whiteningcan restore that beautiful ivory smile but practicing preventative measures can help you avoid losing that pearly luster in the first place. As an experienced Sterlingdentist, we always encourage the healthiest preventative measures in between dental visits in order to maintain the healthiest of smiles. By watching what you eat, drink and use to brush your teeth, you’ll be able to avoid expensive, and possibly painful dental procedures in the future.Keep these tips in mind for a sparkling white smile over the years:

At-home whitening kits are an inexpensive alternative to professional dental procedures. Available as toothpastes, strips and whole kits, some of these products are quite efficient in removing stains. Be careful however, long-term use of these bleaches and abrasives can increase tooth sensitivity.

Brighten up that smile the natural way with tried-and-true home remedies. Baking soda has long been recognized for its ability to brighten and whiten teeth, though you may be surprised to learn that strawberries with a pinch of salt and baking soda will also naturally clean your teeth. Some even stand behind the ancient practice of oil swishing to brighten a smile.

The food you eat can actually scrub your teeth clean. Chewing foods like apples, pears and celery can rinse food particles away from tooth surfaces. Chewing sugarless gum also activates saliva and can help in cleaning teeth between meals.

Smoking is a known cause of yellow and stained teeth. Where smoking has extremely negative health issues, smoking also causes nasty oral and dental problems. Avoid smoking at all costs.

Coffee is also a known culprit in yellowing teeth. Keep the amount of java you drink to a minimum and follow up with water to rinse those staining agents from your mouth. Other tooth-staining beverages include soda, fruit juice and teas.

"Dr. Bursich is by far the best Dentist I’ve been to. It is quite evident that patient comfort is first and foremost at his practice." See what other patients are saying about Sterling Dental and Dr. Bursich!